It has recently been common for general users to connect a computer to a network and obtain various information via the network. A user can access an information disclosing server using an information terminal apparatus such as a computer or the like and obtain desired information.
As an effective method for providing information on the Internet, a method has been proposed using an “information image” formed by image information and related information for causing predetermined operation to be performed on the basis of the image information. The image information and the related information are processed as one handling unit. The information image is easy to manage because an image file and a plurality of pieces of related information are managed as one handling unit.
Supposing that the information image is related to a specific singer, for example, the image file is an image of the singer or an image related to the singer. The related information included in the information image is an address (URL) of a home page of the singer, song data (audio data), a profile (text data) of the singer and the like.
A user can display an owned information image using an information image browser of the information terminal owned by the user and use the content of the selected information image.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-92575 relates to a GUI of a PC connected to a plurality of apparatus. Icons corresponding to the connected apparatus are displayed on a monitor, and states of the apparatus are displayed by changing forms of display of the icons. However, the icons themselves do not include information on the states of the apparatus or the like.
Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-142825, a state of connection of an information apparatus is visually recognized on a computer, and operation of the apparatus is performed by operation by a “gaze-link” metaphor. However, connection between an image and the operated apparatus does not involve connection restriction or a function related to authentication.
Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2001-216713, on a computer connected to an operated apparatus, a state of connection of the operated apparatus is displayed by icon, and operation of the operated apparatus is displayed by icon (a video recording icon, a reproduction icon, a recording programming icon, and the like), so that an operator makes setting and the like by a simple operation. However, the icons indicate the operated apparatus itself or the operation, and the icons themselves do not include other information. In addition, there is no restriction of connection from the icons to the apparatus or the like, and there is no function related to authentication.
Further, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 11-259393, an apparatus with which communication is to be made is displayed by icon on a personal computer, and the apparatus with which communication is to be made is identified through icon operation to make communication. However, there is no connection restriction for the icon, and there is no function related to authentication.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 10-188390 realizes simple recording programming by dragging and dropping a program icon into a time period display part of a recording apparatus. However, there is no restriction on use of the program icon or no function related to authentication.
However, after the user selects the information image displayed on the information image browser of the information terminal, the information image is accessed without any restriction, and thus the use of the information image once provided by the information image providing unit is not restricted.
For example, in a case where the information image providing unit provides the information image for a limited time period, the information image cannot be accessed from the user after an end of the providing time period, but the information image without an access right remains at the user. In addition, when the information image providing unit desires to stop information distribution only to a specific user, there is no means of realizing this.
Further, there is no means for the information providing unit side to restrict and manage for each user attachment of the information image owned by the user to an email, which is send to a friend or the like, and including the information image in a flexible disk for takeout, for example. Further, once the information image is provided to the user, it is impossible to change a period of use of the information image, change ownership restriction (change the restriction that prohibits assigning the information image to another person at the time of providing the information image and allow the information image to be assigned after passage of a certain period), for example, after providing the information image.
The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and it is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a content information image and an information image utilizing system with an access right and an authentication function.